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\u201cJones alumni who have achieved early success in their career and are already making a meaningful impact both professionally and within their communities are being honored as Rising Stars,\u201d Â鶹ֱ²¥ President, Dr. Jesse Smith announced at the Homecoming Alumni Luncheon. \u201cToday we have two Rising Stars who are certainly making an impression on their peers, their communities and us. Despite being in very competitive professions, these two are rising to the top.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Glen Cade Cockrell of Magee is a 2017 Â鶹ֱ²¥ graduate whose career is \u201crocketing\u201d to the moon. The Senior Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin Space has more than five years of experience in aerospace and defense. After earning his Associate of Arts degree from Â鶹ֱ²¥ and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Mississippi State University, he is building a career marked by innovation and leadership. Cockrell attributes his success in part to JC instructors Tim Rayner and Mary Boleware.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\u201cThe trajectory of my path is due in part to (Mary Boleware\u2019s) impact that she had on me early on in her physics class. She opened my eyes to things that I would never have considered, and I would never have thought that I would have a chance to accomplish. I really appreciate her challenging me,\u201d shared Cockrell. \u201cI always felt like she genuinely cared not just for me, but for all of her students, and to see our development and to see us succeed, to have someone there that genuinely cares and wants to see you succeed is honestly a rare experience throughout college.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Holding key engineering roles at Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Northrop Grumman Space Systems, and Stark Aerospace, Cockrell has contributed to mission-critical projects and is driving advances in modeling, simulation, automation, and systems performance. Recognized for his technical expertise and his ability to foster collaboration, Cockrell continues to empower teams while delivering solutions that directly impact national defense. He offers this advice for other aspiring engineers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAsk more of yourself the things that you think are impossible, the things that you think might be out of reach. Try your best to shoot for those things,\u201d Cockrell said. \u201cEven if you fail, learn something through failure and keep asking more of yourself and push farther and harder. Never give in. Don’t settle for less. If you know what you want, go get it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nRising to the top of the medical field, is Shivum Desai, a 2019 graduate of Â鶹ֱ²¥ and summa cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Medicine degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, with an expected graduation in 2026. An accomplished researcher, he has contributed to studies in neurology, anesthesiology, pediatrics, and plastic surgery, earning multiple presentations and publications. His research interests include dementia risk, transfusion practices, pediatric cardiac outcomes, and public perceptions of medical specialties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBeing here at Jones, helped me to develop professionally and allowed me to develop critical skills that I still use to this day. I have become a much better person in terms of time management and I\u2019m more confident in just meeting people and talking to people. These soft skills especially, are what has helped me pretty much go further into my career,\u201d shared Desai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond academics, Desai serves as Executive Director of Jackson Community Response, leads youth initiatives at the BAPS Jackson Temple, and owns and operates a Baskin-Robbins franchise in Hattiesburg. At Â鶹ֱ²¥, Desai served as the President of PTK, and he earned the PTK Academic All-Mississippi First Team Honors in addition to being selected as one of four, Gold Scholars on the Coca-Cola 2019 Academic Team. The Oak Grove High School graduate was also named as one of five, Tullos Scholars at JC and he remains dedicated to service, education, and advancing healthcare in Mississippi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy advisors in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society helped me get to this stage in life along with the other mentors and my peers involved in PTK. I got involved in many campus activities. I\u2019ve met a lot of people; faculty, staff and administrators, who are still friends today,\u201d Desai said. \u201cAmongst my professors at JC, Dr. Kandula, my physics professor helped me to become more critical in terms of my education. As I apply for residency positions, I hope to be able to return and practice in the community that gave so much to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the Rising Stars honored during Homecoming celebrations, two alumni, Dr. Robert S. Billingsley of Laurel and Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson of Ellisville each received the \u201cAchievement and Excellence Award.\u201d In addition, Judge Stan Sorey of Raleigh was honored as \u201cOutstanding Alumni of the Year,\u201d while Ellisville native, and current Oxford, Mississippi and Atlanta, Georgia resident, Beverly Young Langford, Ph.D. was bestowed with the Distinguished Service Award and Billy Royce Folkes of Seminary was recognized as the \u201cLegacy Award\u201d recipient.<\/p>\n\n\n ELLISVILLE \u2013 Of the seven honored alumni during Â鶹ֱ²¥\u2019s Alumni Recognition Program held during Homecoming celebrations, two alumni were named \u201cRising Stars.\u201d Included in the distinguished group of alumni achieving great success were Cade Cockrell of Magee and Shivum Desai of Hattiesburg. \u201cJones alumni who have achieved early success in their career and are … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/RISING-STAR-SHIVUM-DESAI-WITH-PTK-GROUP-1024x683.jpg\")
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